Bandai Namco Say They’re Bringing “Surprises” To Japan Expo

This morning, Bandai Namco announced their plans for the upcoming Japan Expo in France. The publisher highlighted a number of games that will be at the event, and said that they will also have “additional titles and surprises”. Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean new game announcements.

The games that we already know about include:

One Piece Unlimited World: Red

Tales of Xillia 2

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle

Rise of Incarnates

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures

In addition to games, the Bandai Namco shop space will also feature an “extended catalogue” featuring a range of merchandise that hasn’t been released outside Japan before.

Japan Expo will be held from July 2nd – 6th at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center, France. Bandai Namco’s booth is Booth BF76 Hall 6.

“The publisher highlighted a number of games that will be at the event, and
said that they will also have “additional titles and surprises”. Note
that this doesn’t necessarily mean new game announcements.”

TO LATE! I already ingrained the idea into my brain XD
I’m just hoping we hear something about Sword Art Online Hollow Fragment….That’s really the only game now that we don’t know everything about (Localization-wise anyway)

Ladius

They could show something more about SAO, whose European release is still unannounced, or Tales of Hearts R, even if I think they will start its marketing push after Xillia 2’s release.

Kornelious

Oh yeah, i keep forgetting that we’re getting Tales of Hearts R (Mostly due to shock) A collectors edition announcement would be nice……And while I’m on the subject a SAO upgrade to physical would also be awesome……….with a collectors edition :D

Guest

Well I’m not sure if it will come as a physical release in Europe, but the game does include a HD version of Infinity Moment too

Ladius

A CE for Hearts R would probably be a good move, considering how many Tales fans are collectors. The Xillia 2 CE started in the first places of the Amazon chart in most countries despite its price, and some niche localized Vita games already had successful limited edition, like the ones made by NISA. Hearts R also had a limited edition in Japan, the Link Edition.

Isamu Daison

SAO is already been announced by BN. That’s no secret! I just hope the surprised titles aren’t more Naruto or such. I’m hoping to hear some Gundam titles besides the DW series announced! Some of these: J-Stars Victory, To Love-RU: Darkness Battle Ecstasy, Girls Und Panzer, and Madoka!

Renaldi Saputra

TLR isn’t by Bamco

Isamu Daison

Neither is DW: Gundam Reborn but KOEI has the rights from Bamco to publish it!

Renaldi Saputra

Gundam franchise is owned by Bandai, but TLR isn’t, just is a part of shueisha.. The game is by Furyu, and I don’t think we’ll see that game in the west

Isamu Daison

Any company can acquire the rights to publish a game like XSEED Games which acquire and publish games from different game companies like Falcon, Marvelous, etc. Any company has to weigh how much to acquire it for and whether they can make a good profit or not. Some costs more than others that’s why they don’t try for certain titles!

Renaldi Saputra

not because of it, but the licensing from a shueisha series isn’t that simple, even by 3rd party like XSeed…

The localized build is likely finished by now, and they already confirmed Xillia 2 won’t have dual audio. It’s possible Zestiria would have that option, though, since they said they will consider it in the future and Symphonia Chronicles was built to include it from the start.

I think it would be smart to announce innocence R.that would give some stimulus to the “I am not gonna buy a vita just for one game” party

Ladius

I was just answering his question, while I enjoy having a dual audio option and I’m happy to see companies listening to their fans I’m not among those who consider it an essential feature, nor have I ever avoided a game I was interested in because it lacked a dub track or another.

I would love to see Innocence R localized, too, but since the Namco rep said that its localization could depend on Hearts R’s sales I can’t imagine to see it announced before Hearts is out.

They did announce Xillia 2 before Xillia was out (either because they already started localizing it or because of Xillia’s preorders), though, but the fact that Hearts R’s preorders aren’t even open on most sites make it less likely for them to gauge the fans’ interest before Japan Expo.

Samsara09

yeah.Just saying that the company only wants $$$.The point was made.If Namco will use it,is another matter.
i was being ironic.

but yeah…some won’t buy the vita because they are afraid of namco only localizing hearts R and the console ending up with few great rpgs like the PSP.
if namco give some proof it intends to stay as long as the fans want,the fans will buy more vitas to get the remakes.

AuraGuyChris

Revolutionize our lives? I still don’t understand Japanese and do not want to constantly look up and down to watch and read the action.

Crimson_Cloud

Is the original OP left intact, like was for the first game?

Ladius

I think it has been already confirmed.

Slayven19

Already confirmed to not have it, let it go already for peets sake.

AlphaSixNine

Didn’t know so sorry I guess? Just saying I want it. Not like I’m demanding or anything geez.

But a sequel for JoJo’s All Stars or some news about Tekken would be nice

KonjikinoSora

I expect a JoJo sequel to be announced soon.

Pinwheel

I doubt we’d get one so close to an international release of the first product. DLC expansion would be the case more likely than sequel.

And trust me, I’d love love LOVE news for more All-Star Battle.

Jin Sanada Dragon

There is a very slim chance that J-Stars will get a localization, there’s just way too many licensing issues. Plus, that game isn’t even that good.

Jin Sanada Dragon

There is a very slim chance that J-Stars will see a localization. Too many licensing issues. Plus the game isn’t even that good.

Spirit Macardi

The only thing that would surprise me would be Klonoa 3.

Also, they’re showing off Pac-Man and the Ghastly Sales Figures there? Good lord, I feel bad for the people of France that they aren’t being spared from that horrid game…

SirRichard

I would be honestly entirely surprised if they had any new titles to reveal, considering how busy they’ve been this year as is. Probably a European release for Sword Art Online, but what else could there be?

TheExile285

J-Stars Victory VS! Do it, Bandai Namco! :D

God Eater 2 and Digmon would be nice too but I won’t get my hopes too high for those.

MaximDualBlade

I have more hopes for God Eater 2 than J stars, for the licenses in J stars. Digimon is set to release 2015 in Japan, so a localization confirmation so soon would be inconceivable in my mind. I still want those 3 games localized :D

Kalis Konig

You have your hopes up for J-Stars but not Digimon and God Eater? well alright than lol.

Slayven19

Bro just import j-stars, its not all that great of a game anyway from the time that I’ve had it but its not bad either. Still its good enough that an import is all that’s really needed.

luckgandor

Digimon please.

Fastchrone

re:digitize please
all of my HOPE and DREAM :’)

Renaldi Saputra

you forgot to add “Decode” in it

GameWinner

Digimon pls, Namco!

Haganeren

But what about Eur… Oh wait

MaximDualBlade

How about they abuse their power and bring us God Eater 2, J Stars Victory and Digimon Cyber Sleuth. I may get into bondage with that kind of abuse :P

Mαdασ「マダオ」

“additional titles and surprises”

More details on Tales of Zestiria and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth.

RunningWild1984

New DBZ Budokai game plz.

And Tekken on Steam.

British_Otaku

Wouldn’t mind just one surprise for MCM London this May, but surprises are surprises… I’ll be happy to hear about them through the web as well.

Megagold5

I will take Digimon as a suprise. Nothing less.

Ash_Riot

My guesses: God Eater 2, one of the Digimon games [personal preference – ReDigitize (to go with the series being shown on TV again) and Tales of Zestiria localization announcements.

“What I think is very unlikely but would be awesome” announcements: J Stars Victory, new fighting game, SRW (I love my SRPGs).

powerlessbump

Hopefully Rolo plushies! I hate you for the record if you chose that ‘pocket watch’.

DivinePhoenix69

Hate to be “that guy”, but anybody who is expecting/hoping for a J-Stars localization announcement are setting themselves up to be massively disappointed. Of course in the -1% chance that it does happen then i’ll gladly eat my own foot.

That doesn’t really guarantee that it’s J-Stars though, that could be referring to something else completely.

Renaldi Saputra

They said “maybe”
Not exact like Digimon World trademark they really had registered in US

darke

I’m starting to think the publishers are actually properly pre-emptively negotiating international licences in advance for these anime/manga/LN titles. The last few “nah, it’s going to be too hard to negotiate EN licences” titles have suddenly been announced to come to the west pretty soon after their JP release (SAO for instance).

wew, it will be very surprising, even much more surprising than SAO…
but it isn’t impossible, though. Just nearly impossible

darke

Neptune PP is getting a western release; but I’m guessing that’s more because they know they’ll sell it to the ‘Neptunia’ fanbase, even if no-one else. I guess Idolmaster would be an unknown.

Renaldi Saputra

that’s what I said, Neptune PP is for Neptune fanbase only… and I guess even Neptune fanbase will be still taboo of the game

darke

Yeah. Honestly I’d expect the To Love-ru game would have more of a chance to be released then Idolmaster, at least if the Monster Monpiece one sells well. And even that’s unlikely. :(

Renaldi Saputra

nope, it’s a part of shueisha…
not having more chance

darke

You keep saying that, but I keep hitting refresh on the PSN and this shitty One Piece game Just Won’t Disappear! :P Also Bleach, also Naruto. All three of these series were published in Weekly Shounen Jump along side I believe the entire run of the original To Love-Ru series before it moved to Jump Square with Darkness.

I know there’s extenuating circumstances for those three to get imported, (they being inexplicably popular), but using the “being part of shueisha” argument every single time any property relating to ‘shueisha’ comes up when there’s clearly exceptions, well it gets old and repetitive. :|

Renaldi Saputra

but a 3rd party doing license from shueisha series is just too much…

shueisha series game only come from Bamco this far

but, well, I might be wrong

darke

Oh, I agree. I’m not saying it’s ‘likely’ to happen, it’s just that your blanket denials never felt right due to the obvious exceptions. :)

To Love-Ru being in Jump like Naurto/One Piece/Bleach and so forth I would imagine gives it a higher chance; but slightly-higher-then-zero really isn’t positive either. :)